Train-controlling system



B. A. PRINCE AND E. I. LA COUNT.

TRAIN CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2. 1919.

Patented Apr. 113, 1924).

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1,336,484. APPLICATION FILED APR. 2,v 1.919. 139

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BENJAMIN A. PRINCE AND ELDRIDGE I. LA CONNT, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS T0 ORC'U'IT AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL COMPANY, (BF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF ARIZONA.

TRAIN-CGNTROLLING SYSTEM.

ea set.

Application filed April 2, 1919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, BENJAMIN A. Pnmon and Emininon 1. LA COUNT, citizens of the United States, and residents of Worcester, in the county of \Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Train-Controlling Systems, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to systems for pr venting railroad accidents, such as collisions, derailments, running on to open switches, etc, by means of electrical apparatus and circuits carried by the train and arranged to cooperate, through ramps or contact plates located in the block-section in which the train is running, with apparatus and circuits connected to and associated with the next block ahead.

The general object of our invention is to provide means whereby a train may automatically be brought to a stand-still in a given block when the next block ahead has been rendered unsafe from any cause, such for example as a broken rail, an open switch, or the presence of another train therein; to stop the train in a given block when any road-bed circuit of the block ahead is opened or the road-bed apparatus of such block short-circuited or otherwise disorganized; and to stop the train whenever any train circuit is opened or the train apparatus short-circuited or rendered incapable of performing its intended function.

In systems of this general type means are provided whereby a normally energized clectromagnet carried by the train is deenergi' d when the blocir in advance of that in which the train is running has been rendered train or road-bed circuit any reason rendered inoperative, and by such deenergization causes the application of the air brakes.

Systems of this type are shown in the patent to Orcutt, 1,285,3i-5 dated November 1918 and in our co-pending application, Serial No. 171,469 filed May 28, 1917 to which reference may be had for a more detailed description of the apparatus and circuits than need be set forth herein.

The general object of our invention is to provide a train controlling system having the general characteristics of those above Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, MEZQ,

Serial No. 286,853.

referred to which is adapted for use on a single track road.

Lin a single track road it is necessary to provide an electro-magnetically controlled switch at each end of each block, one to be actuated by train going in one direction and the other by a train traveling in the opposite direction as distinguished from the double track equipment shown in the patent and application above mentioned in which there is one switch at one end only of each block; and it is necessary also to provide two pairs of contact shoes, one pair being in circuit when the train is traveling in one direction and the other pair in circuit when it is going in the opposite direc'tion.

Particular objects of our invention are to provide means for cutting out the trackswitch magnet at the rear end of a block when the train is in the section in the rear thereof so as to prevent the short-circuiting the two pairs of contact shoes into and out F of circuit; and to provide a more ctlicient and reliable circuit breaker for the normally closed train-stopping-magnct circuit. To these and other objects tending to improve and simplify systems of this type and to increase the QillClGIlQY of the same, our invention comprises an air-brake valve norally closed by an electromagnet which normally energized by a source carried by the train and the circuit of which may be momentarily broken at a given point in every block and then instantly closed by being looped into one of the road-bed circuits connected to the block ahead, so that the circuit of said magnet willbe opened if said block 'ias been rendered unsafe, the magnet tie-energized and he air-bralre valve opened to apply the brakes. It comprises also a double-acting switch associated with every electro-inagnetically controlled track switch together with means actuated by train-carried members whereby said doubleacting switch is placed in such position that said track switch may be cut out of its circuit and restored thereto at the proper times. It comprises also a reversing switch arranged to connect one pair of contact shoes with the train circuits when the engi neers reversing lever is in its forward position and to cut the other pair of. contact shoes into circuit when the reversing lever is in its reverse position. Our invention further comprises circuit breakers arranged. to be actuated by two of the contact shoes respectively, for the purpose of breaking the normally closed train-stopping-magnct circuit, and looping the same into the trackswitch circuit when such shoe cooperates with the track-switch ramp.

The drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification represent in diagram the preferred embodiment of our invention; but it will be understood that both the apparatus and the circuitarrangements therein shown may be materially modified by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention as defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows an automatic electricallyactuated train-controlling system embodying our invention, the several moving parts of the train and track apparatus being rep resented in the positions which they occupy before the train circuits are in cooperation with the road-bed circuits. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the position of the track magnet and the switch carried thereby and also the double-acting switch which controls said track switch during the cooperation of the train and road-bed circuits when the block ahead of the train is safe. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the positions of said track magnet and switch and said double-acting switch at the rear end of a block when the circuits of a train in the rear of said block are in cooperation with one of the road-bed circuits for the purpose of cutting said track magnet out of its circuit. Fig. 4 is an elevation of our improved circuit breaker for controlling the trainstopping-magnet circuit. Fig. 5 is an elevation of one form of reversing switch arranged for actuation by the engineers reversing lever. Fig. 6 is a plan view of said reversing switch.

In Fig. 1, B is a block section and A and C represent the ends of the contiguous block sections. The letter E indicates east and the letter W west. The rail 1 is electrically continuous and the rail 2, the component parts of which are electrically connected is co-extensive with the length of the block section B. In like manner he rails 2 and 2 are respectively co-extensivc with the lengths of the block sections A and C. The rail 1 will be hereinafter referred tofor convenience as the continuous rail and the rails 2, 2, 2 as the sectional rail.

Located between the ends of each sectional rail and preferably some distance from the forward end of the same are three ramps 3, at, 5 and 3, 4", 5 which are used by a train traveling east, the ramps 4, 5 and 4, 5 being very much shorter than the ramps 3, 3 which are arranged between the former. Similarly located but adj acent'to the continuous rail are the ramps 3, i, 5, and 3 4 5", arranged for use by a train going west. It will be understood, of course, that each block section A, C, etc, will be provided with ramps, and with track circuits and apparatus, identical in construction and arrangement with the ramps, and the track circuits and apparatus, shown in connection with block section B; and also that although all the shoes carried by the train will come into contact with the corresponding ramps regardless of the direction of travel, only one pair of shoes will be effective, since a reversing switch hereinafter described permits only two of said shoes to be in circuit at the same time.

On the other side of the sectional rail and opposite the ramps 3, 3 respectively. are the somewhat shorter ramps 6, 6 each of which is arranged so that its cooperating shoe does not strike the same until after the other shoe has made contact with the longer ramps and each having its forward end in the rear of the latter so that its shoe will leave it before the other shoe breaks contact with the longer ramp. Ramps 6 6 are similarly arranged outside the continuous rail.

The ramp 3 is connected with the west end of the rail 2 by the conductor which may include the resistance 7 and said rail is connected by the conductor 8 with the brush 9 which is normally in contact with the conducting element 10 of the doubleacting switch 11. The cooperating brush 12 is connected with one terminal of the track magnet 13 whichpreferably is of the hollow core solenoid type shown in the patent and application aforesaid and has an armature 14 movable between the back stop 15 and the lower end of the inclosing sheath 16. The other terminal of said track magnet is connected by the wire 17 to the continuous rail.

Mounted on the plunger 18 of the track magnet is a switch which preferably con sists of an insulating cylinder 19 carrying a conducting ring 20 between its ends. The conductor 21 preferably carried by the telegraph poles beside the track connects the ramp 6 with the brush 22 which is normally in contact with one of the insulating portions of the track switch. The cooperating brush 23 is connected through the resistance 24 to the conductor 17 above referred to.

Arranged on one side of the engine is a track-magnet ramp-shoe 25 of any suitable construction and herein shown as a piece of spring material fixed at one end to a portion 26 of the engine and having its free end normally resting on the stop 27. The shoe 25 is connected by the conductor 28 to the contact member 29 of the reversing switch, the operation of which will be hereinafter explained and said contact member is connected electrically by the conducting plate 30 to the contact member 31 when the engine is going forward or east. The contact member 31 by the conductor 32 is connected to the positive brush of the generator 33, the negative brush of which is connected by the wire 34 to the rolling contact 35, preferably one of the locomotive wheels. The positive brush of the generator 33 is connected to one terminal of the train-stopping magnet 86 which preferably is of the same general construction as the track magnet and is provided with an armature 37, the lower position of which is governed by the back stop 38 and its upper position by the lower ends of the inclosing sheath 39. The other terminal of said magnet is connected by conductor 40 to the contact member 41 of the reversing switch which by the conducting plate 42 is electrically connected with the contact member 43, and the latter by the wire 44 is connected to the brush 45 which is normally in contact with the conducting ring 46 of the circuit breaker 47. The coiiperating brush 48 which normally is in contact with the conducting member of said circuit breaker is connected through the resistance 49, substantially equivalent to the resistance 24, and the return wire 34 to the negative terminal of the generator.

The upper end of the plunger 50 of the train-stopping magnet carries a valve 51 which normally closes the passage-way 52 from the port 53, the said passage-way leading to rotary valve apparatus such as shown in Patent 1,285,246 issued November 19, 1918, to one of us.

Carried by the lower end of the plunger 50 is a commutator having insulating portions 54, 55 with a conducting ring 56 arranged between them. The positive pole of the enerator is connected to the safety signa lamp 5'7 and the danger signal lamp 5S and leads from said lamps terminate in the brushes 59, 60, respectively, the brush 59 normally being in contact with the conducting ring 56 and the brush 60 with the insulating cylinder 55. The co5perating brush 61 is arranged to be in contact with said ring 56 at all times and is connected to the negative pole of the source 33.

The circuit breaker which governs the train-stopping-magnet circuit consists in the present instance of the conducting rod 62 to which is threaded the conducting ring 46, two insulating rings 47 passing over said rod and being held in position by nuts or other suitable means as shown in detail in Fig. 4. The lower end of the rod 62 rests on the track-switch ramp shoe 63 connected at one end to a portion 64 of the engine and having its free end normally resting on the stop member (35. The operation of the apparatus so far described is as follows:

Assuming that a train in block A is traveling east and that the moving parts of the road bed and the train apparatus are in the positions shown, there will be a circuit through the trainstopping magnet by way of the contact members 41, 43 of the reversing switch and the brushes 45, 48 of the circuit breaker; the track-magnet circuit will be open between the ramp 3 and the track-magnet ramp-shoe 25; and the trackswitch circuit will be open between the brushes 22, 23, and the ramp 6 and the track-switch ramp-shoe 63. Disregarding the ramps 4 and 5 for the time being, it will be clear that as soon as the shoe 25 rides up on the ramp 3 the circuit of the track magnet 13 at the far end of block B will be closed, assuming that the block is safe, that is to say, that the magnet 13 is not short circuited by a train in block B, or either rail broken or the wire portions of the trackinagnet circuit cut, and the switch 19 will take the'position shown in Fig. 2. Shortly after the shoe 25 makes contact vith the ramp 3, the ramp 63 will ride up on the ramp 6 thereby breaking the train-stoppingmagnet circuit by forcing the circuit breaker 47 upwardly so that the brush 48 will be in contact with the lowermost insulation portion of said circuit breaker, the brush 45 however remaining in contact with the conducting ring 46. Inasmuch as there is a metallic contact between said conducting ring and the rod 62, said brush 45 will be elect ically connected with the shoe and hence the circuit of the magnet 36 will immediately be closed through the brushes 22, 23 and the conducting ring 20 of the track switch, the resistance 49 being replaced by the equivalent resistance 24 so that the strength of the current through the train-stopping magnet will not be appreciably altered by the looping of the train-stopping-magnet circuit into the track-switch circuit. tions the circuit through the safety lamp 57 remains unbroken.

If, however, block B has been rendered unsafe for any of the reasons above enumerated or if conductors 8 or 1? are broken, the magnet 13 will remain denergized and the position of the track switch 19 will remain unaltered, so that when the shoe 63 strikes the ramp 6 the circuit of the trainstopping magnet will be broken at the Under these condibrushes 22, 23. In like manner if the conductor 21 or the wire which joins ramp 3 to rail 2 is broken, the circuit of magnet 36 will be opened as soon as the shoe 63 strikes the ramp 6. In either case the train-stopping magnet will be deenergized, the brakes applied and the current shifted from the safety signal lamp 557 to the danger signal lamp 58.

Assuming that the train having arrlved at block 0 is backed toward the west by reversing the engine and thereby throwlng the electrical reversing switch so that the conducting strips 30, a2 pass from under the contact members 29 and 43 and engage the contact members 67 and 68, the circuits will be as follows: from the positive brush of the generator through the train-stopp1ng magnet to contact member 451, thence by the strip e2 to contact member 68, conductor T l, brush i5, ring *6, brush -18 and thence back to the generator by the conductors 75 and 3%. The circuit of the track magnet 13 at the west end of block B will be open between the shoe 7 3 and the ramp 3 said shoe being connected to the positive pole of the generator by way of the contact memher 67, conducting strip 30, contact member 31 and conductor 32. As soon as the shoe 73 rides up on the ramp 3 which by the wire containing the resistance 7 is connected to the rail 2, there will be. a clrcuit through the track magnet 13 which is provided with the armature 14; arranged to move between the back stop 15 and the end of the inclosing sheath 16, as follows: from the positive pole of the generator by way of conductor 32, the reverslng switch, c011- ductor 72, shoe 73, amp 3, rail 2, conductor 8, brushes 9 and 12 and the ring 10' on which they rest to magnet 13 and thence back by the return wire 1'? to the continuous rail and the negative pole of the generator by way of the rolling contact and wire 3%. Immediately thereafter the shoe 7 6 makes contact with the ramp 6 connected by the conductor 21 to the brush 93 normally in contact with the insulating portion of the track switch 19, the cooperating brush 22 being connected to the continuous rail through the resistance 241-, substantially equivalent to resistance 49, and wire 17. As the shoe 76 is raised from its stop the brush -13 is brought in contact with the insulating portion &7 of the circuit breaker, thereby momentarily opening the circuit of the magnet 36 which is instantly closed by way of brush red 62, shoe 76, ramp 6, brushes 22, 23 and the conducting ring 20. If however the block B has been rendered unsafe or any of the road-bed circuits are broken the circuit of the magnet 13 will not be closed by the contact of the shoe 7 3 with the ramp 3 and train will be brought to a stand-still.

It will be understood of course that if the engine in block 0 instead of being backed into block B is turned around so that it travels west forwardly and the shoes 63,

25 are on the left hand side of the engine,

then the shoe 25 will cooperate with the ramp 3 and the shoe 63 with the ramp 6, the results being identical with those already set forth.

A simple means for actuating the electrical reversing switch is indicated conventionally in Fig. l and consists of-the engineers reversing lever 66 to which is pivotally connected the reversing rod 70 carrying a spring clip 69 arranged to strike the finger 71 depending fromsaid reversing switch and pass under the same after the switch reaches its extreme position in either direction. It will be understood however that any suitable means may be employed for reversing the electrical connections sin'iultaneously with the direction of travel of the engine.

For the purpose of more conveniently representing the system in diagram, the shoes 25, 73 and their cooperating ramps are shown between the rails, but it is preferred to have both sets of shoes and both sets of ramps located outside the rails.

Inasmuch as there must be a track switch such as 13 at one end of each block for cooperation with the circuits of an engine going east in the preceding block, such as the block A, and another track switch, such as 13, at the other end of each block for co- 7 operation with the circuits of an engine going west in the preceding block, such as the block C, it follows that it is necessary to provide means for temporarily cutting each track magnet out of its circuit, such means being actuated by a train in the block in the rear of that in which the magnet is located as such train approaches the end of the block to which the magnet in question is connected.

It will be clear that if the magnet 13, for example, were connected directly to the rail 2 as in the patent and application aforesaid, its circuit would be closed by the contact withqramp 3 of the shoe 25 of a train in block A traveling east, and that such closure would short circuit the track'magnet 13 of block B, so that the train would be stopped by the failure of switch 19 to operate even although block B might be safe.

The particular means disclosed herein for so cutting such track magnet out of circuit and restoring the same thereto consists of a double-acting switch having a conducting ring 10 arranged between two insulating portions 11. The brushes 9, 12 connect one terminal of the magnet 13 with the track 2 by way of the conducting ring 10 and wire 8. The short ramp 4 arranged in the rear of ramp 3 is connected by the wire 7 7 to one terminal of the solenoid 78, the other terminal of which is connected to the brush 12 and to the magnet 13'. When the solenoid 78 is energized the plunger 7 9 is drawn thereinto and the brushes 9, 12 then make contact with the insulating portion of the switch and thus break the circuit of the magnet 13. The ramp 5 is connected by the wire 80 to one terminal of the solenoid 81, the other terminal of which by the wire 82 is connected to the return wire 17. When said solenoid 81 is energized the plunger 83 is drawn into the same and the brushes 9, 12 brought in contact with the conducting portion 1O as shown in Fig. 1.

The contact shoe 25 of an engine in block A traveling east will strike the ramp t before it makes contact with the track-magnet ramp 3 and will close the circuit of the solenoid 78, the circuit of which may be traced as follows: from the positive brush of the generator through the contact members 31, 29 of the reversing switch to shoe 25 by way of conductor 28, and then to ramp 4 and thence by conductor 77 to the solenoid 78 and back to the negative brush of the generator by way of solenoid 13, conductor 1'? rail 1, contact 85 and wire 3%. The energization of the solenoid 78 will shift the double-acting switch .to the left thereby bringing the brushes thereof into engagement with the insulating portion of said switch as shown in Fig. 3 and thus opening the circuit of the solenoid 13. It will be noted that the solenoid 13 will become energized simultaneously with the solenoid 7 8 the moment shoe 25 strikes the ramp 4, but there will be no circuit through the conductor 21.

brushes 22. 23, conducting ring 20 and wire 17 because there is at this time no shoe on the ramp 6 in which said conductor 21 terminates. The shoe 25 leaves the ramp 41 before striking the ramp 8 and as soon as it breaks connection with said ramp 1 the circuit of the solenoid 13 is again broken and the switch 19 resumes its normal position. lVhen the shoe 25 comes in contact with the ramp 3 there will be no circuit through the solenoid 13', for such circuit is now open between the brushes 9, 12 as above set forth. The double-acting switch 11 however is in the position shown in Fig. 1 and therefore there will be a circuit through the solenoid 13 which will set the switch 19 in the position shown in Fig. 2, assuming of course that the block B is safe.

When the shoe 25 leaves the ramp 3 the circuit of the solenoid 13 will be broken and the switch 19 will resume its normal position as shown in Fig.1. As soon as the shoe 25 strikes the ramp 5 there will be a circuit through the solenoid 81 by way-of conductor 82, the reversing switch, conductor :28, shoe 25, ramp 5 conductor 80, solenoid 81 and thence back to the generator by the wire 82, continuous rail 1 and conductor 4c. The resulting energization of said solenoid 1 will restore the double-actin switch 11 to its normal position as shown in Fig. 1.

In like manner it will be apparent that a train in block C traveling west will actuate the double-acting switch 11 by the closure of the circuits of the solenoids 78, 81' as the shoe 73 makes contact with the ramps 43 and 5 respectively, the energization of the solenoid 78 connected by the wire 77 to the ramp at drawing the plunger 79 to the right and the energization of the solenoid 81 con nected to the ramp 5 by the wire 80 and to the return wire 17 by the wire 82 causing the plunger 83 to move to the left which is its normal position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be understood of course without further explanation that there will be a track switch like 19 at the east end of block C which will be controlled by an engine in block B traveling east through the ramps 3 and 6, said ramp 3 being connected by a conductor containing the resistance 7 to the rail 2". There will also be at the west end of said block 0 a track switch similar to 19 arranged for actuation by a train in the block to the east of block C traveling west, and the solenoids of the double-acting switch associated with said track switch will be energized and deenergized by circuits connected to the short ramps 1 and 5 in the same way in which the solenoids of the doubis-acting switch 11 are controlled by cir cuits connected to the ramps 1 and 5 respectively.

It will be understood also that there will be a track switch at the west end of block A arranged for actuation by circuits connected to the ramps 3 and 6", said ramp 3* being connected to the rail 2 through the resistance 7*. At the east end of block A there will be a track switch similar to 19 controlled by a train in the block to the west of block A and to the solenoids of the doubleacting switch associated therewith the ramps a and 5 are connected in the same way that the ramps P and 5 are connected to the solenoids of the double-acting switch 11.

A simple form of reversing switch is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and comprises an insulating block 84 mounted on a slide 85 which is arranged in a guide way 86 provided at each end with stop members 87. The block 81 carries the conducting strips 30, 12 a ranged to pass under and make contact with the switch members 29, 31, 67 and a3, 11, 68, respectively. From the slide 85 depends a finger 71 arranged in the path of the spring clip 69 which is attached to the engine reversing rod so that the movement of the latter will place the switch in desired position, said spring clip passing under and beyond the finger 71 when the block 84 is held against further movement in either direction by the stop members 87. It is of course essential that the conducting strips 30, 42 must be long enough to permit the electrical connection of the members 31, :1 with the end members 67, (38, respectively, before the electrical connection of the members 31, 11 with the members 29, 43, respectively, is broken in order to maintain the continuity of the train-stopping-magnet circuit while the switch is being shifted from one position to the other.

It will be understood of course that any suitable form of reversing switch may be employed for changing the circuits in the manner above set forth.

Having thus particularly described an illustrative embodiment of our invention without, however, limiting the same thereto, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A train controlling system comprising in combination an electricallycontinuous and a sectional rail, each section of which is electrically-continuous but insulated from its contiguous sections, a source of electrical energy carried by the train, a train-stopping magnet normally energized directly by said source, a normally open track circuit formed in part by said sectional and continuous rails, a ramp on the road bed, a shoe carried by the train and arranged to cooperate with said ramp when the train is traveling in one direction to close said track circuit through said source of electrical energy, a track magnet in said track circuit, a track switch actuated by said track magnet, a second ramp on the road bed, a second shoe carried by the train and arranged to cooperate with the last mentioned ramp when the train is traveling in said direction to close the circuit of said train-stopping magnet through said track switch, a switch associated with said track magnet for controlling the circuit thereof, and means c011- trolled by a train traveling in the opposite direction in the section in advance of that in which said track switch is located for controlling said track magnet.

2. A train controlling system comprising in combination an electrically-continuous rail and a sectional rail, each section of which is electrically-continuous but insulated from its contiguous sections, a source of electrical energy carried by the train, a trainstopping magnet normally energized directly by said source, track switches at each end of each section of said sectional rail, normally-open track circuits for controlling said tra-ck switches, each track circuit being formed in part by said continuous and sectional rails, ramps onthe road bed located adjacent to the ends of the contiguous sections and electrically connected to said track circuits respectively, and means controlled by a train in the section in the rear of that in which each track switch is located for rendering inoperative the track switch at the end of the section first entered by the train and then restoring the same to operative position.

3. A train controlling system comprising in combination track switches located at the respective ends of each block section, means in the adjacent blocks whereby the action of the track switch at the farther end of the block ahead may be controlled by engine-carried circuits and-apparatus to indicate the condition of such block, and means controllable from the adjacent blocks whereby the track switch at the nearer end of the block ahead may be rendered inoperative and then restored to operative position by said train-carried circuits and apparatus.

t. A train-controlling system comprising in combination an electrically-continuous ail and a sectional rail, each section of which is electrically-continuous but insulated from its contiguous section, a source of electrical energy carried by the train, a train-stopping magnet normally energized directly by said source, two pairs of contact shoes carried by the train, two sets of ramps on the road bed arranged for cooperation with said contact shoe, respectively, a switch arranged to connect one member of one pair of contact shoes to said train-stopping magnet and simultaneously disconnect the cone spending member of the other pair therefrom and to connect the other member of the first pair of contact shoes tosaid source of electrical energy and sii'nultaneously disconnect the corresponding member of the last mentioned pair of contact shoes therefrom and means actuated by the engine-reversing lever for operating said. switch.

5. A train-controlling system comprising in combination an electrically-continuous rail and a sectional rail, each section of which is elec-trically-continuous but insulated from its contiguous sections, a source of electrical energy carried by the train, a train-stopping magnet normally energized directly by said source, two pairs of contact shoes carried by the train, two sets of ramps on the road bed arranged for cooperation. with said contact shoes, respectively, a. switch having three pairs of contact pieces, connections from the first pair of contact pieces to said train-stopping magnet and said source of electrical energy, respectively, connections from the second pair of contact pieces to the members of one pair of contact shoes, respectively, connections from the third pair of contact pieces to the members of the other pair of contact shoes, respectively, means for electrically connecting the members of the first pair of contact pieces to the members of the second pair of contact pieces, respectively, and simultaneously disconnecting the members of the third pair of contact pieces from the members of the second pair of contact pieces, respectively, and means actuated by the engine reversing lever for operating the last mentioned means.

6. A train controlling system comprising in combination two track switches located near the respective ends of a given block, track-switch magnets for actuating said switches, ramps located near the ends of the contiguous blocks, means electrically connecting said ramps with the track-switch magnets at the farther ends of said block, respectively, switches each controlling the circuits of one of said track-switch magnets, and means located near the ends of the contiguous blocks whereby the control switches at the nearer end of said block may be controlled.

7. A train controlling system comprising in combination two .track switches located near the respective ends of a given block, track-switch magnets for actuating said switches, ramps located near the ends of the contiguous blocks, means electrically connecting said ramps with the track-switch magnets at the farther ends of said block respectively, a source of electrical energy and circuits associated therewith carried by the train, and means cooperating with said circuits whereby successively the track switch at the nearer end of said block is rendered inoperative, the track magnet at the farther end of said block energized and said track switch at the nearer end of said block restored to operative condition.

8. A train controlling system comprising in combination a track switch located in a given block, a source of electrical energy carried by a train and circuits associated with said source, means for rendering said track switch inoperative, and means for restorin said track switch to normal condition, said means being arranged for cooperation with said circuits when the train is in the block in the rear of said given block.

9. A train controlling system comprising in combination a track switch located in a given block, a ramp in the block ahead of said given block, a circuit connecting said track switch to said ramp and means controllable from the block in the rear of said given block for rendering said track switch inoperative and then restoring the same to normal condition.

10. A train controllin system comprising in combination a trainstoppingmagnet circuit, a contact shoe, a conducting member carried by and in electrical contact with said shoe, the terminals of said train-stoppingmagnet circuit normally making electrical contact with said conducting member, and an insulation member carried by said shoe, said insulation member being so arranged that the movement of said shoe will cause one terminal of said circuit to bear against said insulation member without breaking the contact of the other terminal with said conducting member, whereby the last mentioned terminal will be maintained in electrical contact with said shoe.

11. A train controlling system comprising in combination a train-stopping-magnet circuit, a contact shoe, a rod of conducting material carried by and in electrical contact with said shoe, a conducting ring secured to and in electrical contact with said rod, a brush normally resting on said ring near one end thereof, a second brush normally resting on said ring near the other end thereof, and an insulating cylinder surrounding said rod beyond the last mentioned end of said ring.

12. A train controlling system comprising in combination an electrical reversing switch (having fiXed contact members and longitudinally-movable conducting strips cooperating with said members, a slide carrying said ronducting strips, a finger depending from said slide, and a spring clip rising from the rod of the engine-reversing lever and arranged to cooperate with said finger.

13. A train controlling system comprising in combination an electrical reversing switch having two conducting strips, three contact members arranged to cooperate with one of said strips and three other contact members arranged to cooperate with the other strip, the middle contact members being always in contact with their respective cooperating conducting strips and each said strip being long enough to make contact with one of its cooperating end contact members before breaking contact with the other.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names this 29th day of March, 1919.

BENJAMIN A. PRINCE. ELDR-IDGE 1. LA COUNT. 

